Vending display cabinet



June 10 1924'.

H. M. GREENE VENDING DISPLAY CABINET Fil t- 30, 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet J JunelO 1924.

H. M. GREENE VENDING DISPLAY CABINET 3 Sheets-She t 2 Filed Oct. 30, 1923 ju n e m 1924.. y

Y 7 1,497,330 H. M. GREENE VENDI-[NG DISPLAY CABINET F ne Oct. 30, 1923 s snezs-sneez s Patented June to, 1924. a

nane Fries.

rarest HERBERT Il'i. GREENE, OE EQBTLAIID, OREGON.

VENDING DISPLAY CABINET.

Application filed October 30, 1928. Serial No. 671,735.

. To all whom it may concern Iie it known that I, l-lnnnnnr M. Gnnnnn,

a citizen of the United States of i1 erica and resident of Portland, in the county of Multnomah, in the State of Oregon, have invented certain new and useful Vending Display Cabinets, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention .relates to apparatus for use more particularly in the retail comestible trade wherein, by my invention, provision is made on the one hand for exhibiting merchandise to be sold to the inspection of customers, and, on the other hand, for withdrawing merchandise from the apparatus for delivery to the customer after it is sold. y

In practice, I prefer to embody my invention, in effect, into a structure which may at once serve the purpose of storing the goods and also of exhibiting them in a closed case to the purchasing public for inspection.

Such a device may comprehend one means for exhibiting the goods, as to a customer standing before the counter, and another means, convenientof operation by a salesman standing behind the counter, for withdrawing the goods for delivery after they are sold.

In another form, the device may embody means for inspection as well as delivery from one side only of a cabinet.

A principal object of my invention is to provide, with economy. of space and other advantages which will be apparent from this specification, a vending device whereby goods, preferably kept in their original packages and secure from intrusion of dust or insects as well as from the handling of them by customers, may. be exposed adequately to careful inspection, and whereby, as often as required, the particular box or container of the goods designated byv a customer may be withdrawn from the case by the salesman, delivered, and its place supplied by a new box or container with the least expenditure of time and labor on the part of the salesman and without any handling of the goods themselves. It is obvious that such a device will lend itself advantageously to the vending of articles from original packages in smaller quantities than whatfull packages contain, but this is a mere detail.

Other objects" of my invention, besides what is above suggested, will be apparent from the following specification, wherein what constitutes'my invention will be set forth in detail, and afterwards succinctly described in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure I is an end perspective of a cabinet or series of drawer-units comprising three horizontal rows of units disposed one above another in vertical assemblage.

Figure II is a longitudinal vertical section of a single one of my drawer-units embodying, in present preferred form, my invention in part, and showing in full lines the drawer proper in closed position, and, indotted lines, the drawer proper in open position.

Figure III is a transverse section on the line III-III of Figure II, looking from right to left of said line.

Figure IV is a view similar to Figure III taken as on the line IV-IV of Figure II, looking from left to right.

Figure V is a view similar to Figure II, showing one form of modification of my drawer-unit.

Figure VI is an end elevation of a portion of thesubject matter of Figure V, looking at it in the. direction of the arrow VI.

Figure VII is a view similar to Figure II, but showing a modification of the form of embodiment of my invention, wherein provision is made for inspection of goods 'on thes'ame side as that on which delivery of the same is made.

Figure VIII is a view corresponding to Figure I, showing a cabinet comprising an assemblage of drawer-units of the type shown in Figure VII. I

Referring to the numerals on the drawings, 1 indicates a front wall, and 2 two end walls which are united, respectively in corners, as indicated at 3, and are provided with a cover at in the making of a stationary case.

The cover 4 is preferably made of glass or other transparent material that is securely united directly or by a frame to the walls 1 and 2 so as to constitute a top for the stationary case. Said case maybe a cabinet of any preferred dimensions in order to accommodate, for example, a plurality of drawers arranged side by sideiin series as shown, for example, in Figures I and VIII; but it may be of dimensions sufficient to accommodate only a single drawer, as indi= cated in the remaining figures of the drawings. The single drawer arrangement com prising a drawer and its case may therefore be designated a drawer-unit in respect to my invention.

In Figure I, three rows of drawer-units in vertical disposition, one above another, are shown assembled in one structure or cabinet by end strips 5 and 6 which terminate at their lower ends, respectively, in supporting legs for the structure.

In respect to the drawer-units singly or in respect to any combination of them in series, I prefer to provide for a forward inclination from the vertical of the wall 1, and to dispose the cover 4 at right angles to the wall l. By this means the cover 4, which is transparent, is presented to the eye at such an angle to the horizontal as is favorable for inspection of the goods dis played underneath it.

The lower edge 7 of each end wall 2 is preferably disposed horizontally so as to make a suitable base for setting a drawerunit or case of drawenunits upon a counter, for instance, or for arranging a plurality of drawer-units in series as shown, for example, in Figures I and VIII.

The drawer proper of each drawer-unit comprises abottom plate 8, and preferably a single end wall 9. The bottom plate is all that the term drawer necessarily connotes, its essential office being to support in its in and out movement a box or container 10. In some instances the end of the container 10 may serve as a substitute for the whole or a portion of the end wall 9 if desired. I prefer, however, as a rule, to provide for each plate 8 an entire end wall 9 as a means of dust proof closure to the case or each unit thereof as shown in Figure V.

The bottom plate 8 is in effect hinged. as indicated at 11, to the front wall 1. The hinged effect is obtained through mediation of one or more hinged supporting members 1-2 which, in the form of embodiment of'i ny invention shown inFigures II, III, and IV, of the drawings, consist of say two parallel rods, each hinged as indicated at 11 to the front wall 1. To the bottom of the bottom plate 8, are secured one or more crosspieces 15 which are apertured for the accommodation of the member or members 12, so as to slidably unite the members 12 to the bottom plate 8, and, as aforesaid, to incorporate them, in effect, into a member hinged to the case.

Theend of each case opposite the front wall 1 is ,.in the form of embodiment of my invention indicated in Figures I to VI inclusive, open so that the drawer may both slide freely into and out of the case and swing vertically within its open end. The bottbmiplate 8 is supported near its free end as by aconnecting member or plate 3.5 which.

is pivoted as indicated at 18 at its top to projections 17 on the bottom of the plate 8, and at its bottom to projections 19 mounted as on a cross-piece 21 extending between adjacent end walls of a case. here the drawerunits are combined side by side in series, as shown in Figure I, partition strips 22 may be substituted for solid walls intermediate between the Cll 1-W8l11l1ltS. By this arrangement. the front wall 1 and the cover 4 of each cabinet containing a series of drawer-units may extend between the two end walls of said cabinet and serve as common members to accommodate the several units of the series, thereby avoiding some expense. The appearance also of the case will be improved by using a single plate of glass over the entire series, which is the constrnction illustrated in Figures I and VIII.

The plate 16 is so proportioned and operatively disposed as to support its drawer when in the closed position snugly in place, and thereby to provide, in an end wall 9 or end of the container 10, a substantially dustproof closure for each drawer-unit. dVhen the drawer-units are pivoted to the projections 19 by pintles 23, and when arranged in series, one rod may serve, if desired, as a common pintle for all of the plates16 of the series.

Eachplate 16 serves, by its passing over centers, not only for support of its drawer in the closed position, as shown in Figure II, but also as a stop member to limit the outward movement of the drawer or bottom plate 8, as is well illustrated, for example, in the dotted lines of Figure II of the drawings. tion of the bottom plate 8 away from the front wall 1 automatically effects the sliding outward movement of said plate or' drawer upon the member or members 12, and also the gentle dropping of the bottom plate from the position thereof shown in full lines in Figure II to that shown in dotted lines in that figure.

Instead of the connecting member 16 disposed between a cross-piece 21 .and the bottom plate 8, any equivalent means'may besubstituted, such for instance as arms 26 pivoted at one end, respectively, to opposite end walls 2, for example, of thecase, or to their equivalent partition strips 22, and to opposite sides of an end wall 9 as shown in Figures V and VI.

In the construction last referred to, the arms 26 are pivoted at their opposite ends, respectively, as indicated in said last named figures, by the numerals 30 and 31.

Also in Figures V and VI a single tongue 32 working snugly in a channel 33 in a transverse plate 34, is shown by way of a mechanical equivalent for the rods 12 their cross pieces 15 previously described. I

in Figure VII, I show modified type of The pulling by manipuladrawer-unit, and in Figure VIII, a cabinet assemblage of the same in series.

In those figures the operative parts are substantially the same as those already described with reference to the preceding figures, but are for distinction designated therein by different numerals.

In Figure VIII the cabinet is shown as provided with opposite end walls 35, united and supported by end strips 36, and each row of drawer-units is shown as provided with a common transparent cover 37, as in Figure I, with the addition of partitions 38.

In place of one front wall 1, shown in Figure I, Figures VII and VIII show a plurality of front walls 39, one for each drawer-unit, each forming a closure in front for its individual drawer-unit.

The modification of the drawer-unit illustrated in detail in Figure VII includes as a part of the drawer case a fixed end wall 40, to and from which a bottom plate 41 works in its opening and closing operation. The plate 41 which corresponds substantially in form and function to the bottom plate 8 heretofore described, is provided with a front wall 39 instead of the wall 9, and is slidablyunited, as by a cross-piece 42, to a supp'orting member 43, hinged, as indicated, for example, at 44, to thecase of each drawer-unit. The end of the plate 41 is supported by a plate 45, corresponding to the plate 16, pivoted, respectively, to said plate as'upon lugs 46, and to a cross-piece 47 on the case as on lugs 48. One each of the paired lugs 46 and 48 employed is shown in Figure VII. The pairing of the lugs is made, for example, after the manner of the projections 17 and 19 illustrated in Figure III and VI.

A comparison of Figures II and VII will serve to show a simple and preferred means of keeping the bottom plates 8 and 41 in the two types of device, respectively, closed. Said means consists in providing in each instance for the passing of the plate 16 or 45, as the case may be, over the centers on which it is connected to its case and bottom plate, respectively.

Thus, in Figure II the plate 16 is shown as slightly inclined from the vertical towards the front wall 1, whereby the bottom plate 8 with its load is urged by gravity towards said front wall. In Figure VII the plate 45 is slightly inclined towards the opposite side of the vertical, with the effect of supporting the bottom plate 41, to which the plate 45 is connected, against the urge of gravity, and of holding it in endwise abutment with its fixed end wall 40 with which, in the type of device shown in Figures VII and VIII, each drawer-unit is provided. By the means indicated a self-closing tendeasy is in each instance imparted to the bettom plate by the antics cf gravity, with the effect, after a drawer-unit is closed, of keeping it closed and its contents protected by such closure.

The operation of my device, in view'of the foregoing specification, may be briefly described as follows. i

Let it be assumed for the purpose of the present description that the form of embodiment of my invention is that shown in Figure I, and that each row of drawers is divided into four drawer-units, each corre sponding substantially or in efiect to the construction shown in Figure II, for example.

Let it be further assumed that each drawer-unit is provided with a container 10, which snugly fits the space provided for it above its bottom plate8, and which constitutes in effect a removable compartment for its case. Accordingly each container 10 may of itself'completely fill the vertical space in its case provided for it above the plate & The open end of the case may be further closed, if desired. by the presence of a complete wall 9, or the wall maybe reduced in height to a mere strip sufficient only to hold the container upon the'plate 8, as shown in Figure II.

So long as all of the drawers in the structure referred to are kept in closed position as shown, for example, by full lines in Figure II, the contents of each container 10 will, for sanitary reasons, be protected from flies or other insects as well as from being handled by customers or others. The glass cover 4, while, it protects the contents of each container, exposes them to'the critical inspection of a customer standing, for example, in front of the case. Being thus enabled to inspect the goods displayed to his entire satisfaction, and then to indicate his selection to the attendant salesman, the latter thereupon pulls out the drawer which carries the goods designated. The salesman may then either measure out a portion of the contents of the container 10 which he has pulled out of its case in the manner just described, or he may remove the entire container and deliver it to the customer. In the latter instance another filled container having been substituted for the one sold, all that the attendant has to do is to push the drawer back into position, when the apparatus is ready for repetition of the operation described at will and as often as occasion may demand.

In respect to the type of device illustrated in Figures VII and VIII, the cabinet shown may be placed with its back to a wall of the store room, so that both inspection by a customer and delivery by an attendant may be effected from the front of the cabinet.

VVhat I claim is:

1. In vending display apparatus, the term &

the bottom plate, respectively.

2. In vending display apparatus, the combination with a case, and a supporting member hinged thereto, of a bottom plate slidably united to said member, a connecting member hingedly united to the case and to the bottom plate, respectively, and automatic gravitationally operative means for holding the bottom plate in closed position within the case.

3. In vending display apparatus, the combination with a case, and a supporting member hinged thereto, of a bottom plate slidab'ly united to said member, a connecting member hingedly united to the case and to the bottom plate, respectively, and automatic gravitationally operative means for holding the bottom plate in closed position within the case, said means comprising a disposition of the connecting member at an inclination towards a fixed wall of the case against which the bottom plate abuts.

4, In vending display apparatus, the combination with a case, and a supporting member hinged thereto, of a bottom plate slidably united to said member, a connecting member hingedly united to the case and to the bottom plate, respectively, and a member carried by the bottom plate adapted to effect closure of the case by the closing operation of the bottom plate.

5. A drawer-unit for vending display apparatus," comprising the combination with a eatsso case provided with a transparent cover, of a bottom plate hingedly and slidably connected to the case and adapted to be moved to a closed position so as to be open to inspection through the cover and to be drawn out of the case for removal of goods deposited upon it.

6. A drawer-unit for vending display apparatus, comprising the combination with a case provided with a transparent cover, of

a bottom plate hingedly and slidably connected to the case and adapted to be moved to a closed position so as to be open to in spection through the cover and to be drawn out of the case for removal of goods deposited upon it, said bottom plate being disposed on an incline in the closed position and assuming a substantially horizontal position when drawn out of the case. r

7. A vending display cabinet, comprising a case and a plurality of drawer-units as de fined in claim 5 assembled in series'in said case.

8. A vending display cabinet, comprising a case and a plurality of drawer-units as defined in claim 5 assembled in ser es in said 

